Engine light flashing, down on power intermittently, garage shrugging shoulders

[Pistachio]

Has anyone had something similar to this before?

The engine light has been coming on intermittently and it has been running rough, sometimes it is just a little rough at idle, like it is misfiring a little, but lately the light starts flashing and it feels like it is running on 2 cylinders and down on power. Then it will randomly pick back up and have normal power.

I took it to a garage and the diagnostic said misfire on cylinder 2 detected, random misfire and explosive detonation. They tried new plugs, leads and coil pack then wiped their hands and said to try an auto electrician

The auto electrician took it for a test drive and said it was a little rough but not major and unless the fault presented itself to him while testing it, there wasn't much he could do. He said reading the codes again wouldn't help him much and just cost me £50.

I really don't know where to go with this now other than a Renault specialist. Do you think I would be wasting my money?


It's an 04 182 on 105k btw

 

[levaz]

Injectors.

it's almost always injectors.

next time it does it, pop the bonnet and unplug them one by one.
If it gets worse, plug it back in and move on to the next one.
If it stays the same, that's the dodgy one.

 

[Lawless]

Have you not tried a new injector on cylinder 2?

I had a similar problem, switched around the spark plugs, still same problem, switched around the injectors and found the problem had changed to a different cylinder, so it was a injector, cost me around £35 for the part.

Also it could be worth buying a cheap code reader to save paying £50 at a garage

 

[Pistachio]

I've got a cheap reader but it didn't show the code of the fault when I tried it so I didn't know what it was.

Injectors were the next thing I was thinking. Are they easy to remove?

Thanks for the replies

 

[levaz]

I've got a cheap reader but it didn't show the code of the fault when I tried it so I didn't know what it was.

Injectors were the next thing I was thinking. Are they easy to remove?

Thanks for the replies

Fuel rail guard off (2x deep 13mm and a small extension iirc)
fuel rail off (2x 10mm)
Unclip fuel pipe.
gently tug rail.
Unclip injector

 

[Pistachio]

Ok thanks

 

[levaz]

I did a set the other night, shouldn't take more than about 45 mins start to finish to replace all 4

 

[Pistachio]

Just waiting to hear if Renault have it in stock. If it is the injector, is it worth replacing all 4 at the same time?

 

[levaz]

Might be worth getting 2, replace the dead one and keep a spare for next week lol

 

[Pistachio]

Renault wanted £70 and it's not in stock. Euro car parts £40 but only have 1 in stock

 

[levaz]

have a look on the bay, Tim @ TF rally spares has 100's of them

 

[jamesycc]

sounds like mine. Turned out to be an injector, fault code p0204 swapped injector to cylinder 3 and hey presto fault code p0203 pos up. Mine was really intermittent for a week 99% fine then misfire for 10-30secs then fine again. Cant beleive a garage didn't check the injector

 

[Pistachio]

Is there any chance of this fitting? Or have I been given the wrong part?

 

[Pistachio]

Yup wrong one. And I snapped the connector off the old one getting it out. Balls

 

[jamesycc]

Yup wrong one. And I snapped the connector off the old one getting it out. Balls

do you mean the little metal clip? Doesn't really do much except stop it rotating and pulling the wiring about. Will be held in by the fuel rail being bolted up tight.

 

[Pistachio]

No I mean the bit on the injector that the loom plugs in to

 

[jamesycc]

No I mean the bit on the injector that the loom plugs in to

ah, I see.

 

[UK_Ricky_UK]

Has anyone had something similar to this before?

The engine light has been coming on intermittently and it has been running rough, sometimes it is just a little rough at idle, like it is misfiring a little, but lately the light starts flashing and it feels like it is running on 2 cylinders and down on power. Then it will randomly pick back up and have normal power.

I took it to a garage and the diagnostic said misfire on cylinder 2 detected, random misfire and explosive detonation. They tried new plugs, leads and coil pack then wiped their hands and said to try an auto electrician

The auto electrician took it for a test drive and said it was a little rough but not major and unless the fault presented itself to him while testing it, there wasn't much he could do. He said reading the codes again wouldn't help him much and just cost me £50.

I really don't know where to go with this now other than a Renault specialist. Do you think I would be wasting my money?


It's an 04 182 on 105k btw

Did you sort this mate? I have the same problem just trying to figure out if I should by either new or second hand injectors and weather or not I should replace one or all four...

 

[Pistachio]

Well it felt very smooth when I first took it out but then the light started flashing again

Not sure if I should try changing the other 3 as well

 

[Pistachio]

I should say though that it has stopped losing power now and feels better. So it has obviously helped. But the ecu still isn't happy about something

 

[UK_Ricky_UK]

Well it felt very smooth when I first took it out but then the light started flashing again 😧

Not sure if I should try changing the other 3 as well

Did you replace with a brand new one? Surely if one injector starts playing up replacing all four is a good idea? Have you got a multi meter to take readings from the injectors?

 

[Pistachio]

Yeah it was a new one. Maybe I should replace them all. How do you test them?

 

[UK_Ricky_UK]

Yeah it was a new one. Maybe I should replace them all. How do you test them?

With a multi meter. Or apparently you can have the engine running, pull one out at a time and it should run worse... If you pull one out and nothing changes its probably shagged!?

 

[Pistachio]

It hasn't stopped losing power. I don't know wtf is going on with it. It seems to run better at speed. When it is cold or stuck in traffic in town it starts flashing and losing power

 

[UK_Ricky_UK]

It hasn't stopped losing power. I don't know wtf is going on with it. It seems to run better at speed. When it is cold or stuck in traffic in town it starts flashing and losing power

That's what happens with mine, when in traffic the light starts flashing... I haven't changed any of the injectors yet tho... Maybe another one of your injectors is shagged mate.. You need to get a multi meter on them!

 

[levaz]

Could be plugs or leads braking down

 

[Pistachio]

14 ohms, 14 ohms ... 90 ohms

I've ordered 3 more. Fingers crossed that cures it


Another question... The garage mentioned that these shouldn't be as loose as this. Is it anything to worry about?

(Video)

 

[bloke]

Another question... The garage mentioned that these shouldn't be as loose as this. Is it anything to worry about?

let me guess...this is the same garage that looked at it in the first place? if so i wonder if they have ever actually worked on a car before?

time for a new garage and the sensors are fine like that.

 

[Pistachio]

It's a pretty reputable performance car garage too! I wish I knew more about cars, I hate garages

 

[Pistachio]

Does anyone know what the metal clips are called that keep the electrical connector on to the injector? I dropped one and can't find it